Cowboys plan to release long-time quarterback, Romo era in Dallas is officially over

Once retirement didn’t seem likely, whether the Cowboys front office would choose to release or trade long-time franchise quarterback Tony Romo became one of the biggest stories of this offseason. Fortunately, those discussions have come to an end. Dallas is expected to ‘do right’ by Romo, release him Thursday, and give him the freedom to choose where he’d like to finish his career.

Although this isn’t the best scenario for the Cowboys organization, it makes sense. It’s difficult to find a trade suitor when you’re looking to deal a 37-year-old quarterback with significant injury history, not to mention a hefty contract as well.

Per NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the Broncos and Texans remain high on Romo’s list of eventual landing spots.

After the bittersweet 2016 season, it was clear that Romo wanted out. If he wasn’t given the opportunity to compete when healthy, it’s likely he wasn’t going to fall for the ‘stay here and compete this offseason’ bribes either.

It may seem cliche, but the Texans and Broncos make the most sense for Romo, as he’s clearly in search of winning a championship in the near future. All it takes is one team to roll the dice, and what front office doesn’t want to do everything they can to win a Super Bowl immediately?

Houston is in shambles at the quarterback position, so it’s possible they could benefit from a ‘win now’ standpoint in acquiring Romo, while also addressing the future with selecting a quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft to groom behind him. Meanwhile, Romo could also be a great mentor to young quarterbacks Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch in Denver, without inhibiting their growth.

It’s never easy to let a player of Romo’s stature walk away, but he’s left a permanent mark in Dallas.